As experts try to sort out solutions to the obesity epidemic and its high prevalence among America's poor, one of the most promising programs has been allowing farmers markets to take public aid money as currency. Two years ago city officials insisted that it would be too hard to make this happen in official city farmers markets--which make up the majority in the Chicago area.

That changed last year, however, when Experimental Station (a multi-faceted non profit in Woodlawn that runs, among other things, the 61st Street Farmers Market) agreed to show the city that it is actually not that hard and guide them through the process in five markets. The results were remarkable with nearly $29,000 worth of food stamp credits being redeemed at the five city test markets last year--nearly half of all redeemed in the state.

Building on that success, the city announced this week five more markets that will also accept the LINK card for purchases, some will even double the value of the food stamp funds as part of a grant from the Wholesome Wave Foundation.

"Following on last year's successful pilot, the Experimental Station is pleased to expand our role in that effort by bringing LINK service to ten City farmers markets this year," said Experimental Station executive director Connie Spreen

The farmers market season officially starts on May 12 with Daley Plaza, which is one of the 10--along with 61 Street Farmers Market, Logan Square and Green City Market--that accept LINK. Here are the rest with an asterisk (*) next to the new ones: